Vacuum tank



p 3, 1929- n J. N. JOHNSON 1,726,567

VACUUM TANK Filed Feb. 23, 1927 i7 73 I I 11 9 7 2 l I: I I33 I I: 1 l 1IN VEN TOR.

JOSEPH N. JUHNSDN ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

JOSEPH N. JOHNSON, OF IRWIN, CALIFORNIA.

VACUUM TANK.

Application filed February 23, 1927. Serial No. 170,324.

This invention relates to improvements in vacuum tanks commonly employedfor the purpose of feeding gasoline or like motor fuel to an engine bygravity from a remotely placed tank at a lower level.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for morepositively opening and closing the valves of the vacuum tank in counterdistinction to the rather sluggish action now present in the device ofthis character.

, A further object is to eliminate unnecessary levers and their bearingswhich contribute to the sluggish action.

A still further objectis to reduce the cost of manufacture to the lowestpossible amount.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a vacuum tank of standardconstruction having my invention applied thereto, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the spring and floatconnection.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Practically all automobiles now upon the market employ a vacuum tank forthe purpose of delivering the gasoline from a low hung tank to a pointabove the carburetor and thence delivering the same to the carburetor.These tanks all employ a float for the purpose of moving the valves. Inorder to operate these valves a system of levers has been employed.These levers require a number of bearings and fulcrum points in order toperform and function, and due to the friction of the bearings, andespecially the weight of the float on upward movement. the action of thefloat is oftentimes retarded so that an insufficient quantity ofgasoline is delivered. This is particularly true at high speeds.

I have overcome these difficulties by eliminating a number of parts andby viewing the drawings the numeral 5 designates the storage tank,having an inner filling tank 6. Th'ese tanks are connected only througha discharge pipe 7 having a valve 8. A cover 9 is provided for the tanks5 and 6 within which cover is located a supply pipe 11. The cover alsohas attached thereto a'vacuum pipe 12 and an air pipe 13. The air pipehas a branch 14; which connects with an orifice 16 to the interior ofthe tank 5. Suspended from the cover 9 is a bearing 17 on which arepivoted levers 18 and 19. The lever 19 carries a vacuum valve 21 and anair valve 22. The vacuum valve 21 is adapted to move against a valveseat formed in the under side of the cover 9,

while the valve 22 is adapted to move against a valve seat formedbetween the air pipe 13 and the interior of the tank 6. A spring 23having hooked extremities 24 and 26 extend between the ends of thelevers18 and 19. The hooked extremities of the spring 23 are each provide withre-inforcing semi-circular pieces 27 (see Figure 2) which are adapted toengage the pointed ends of the levers 18 and 19. This construction givesa single point of con tact between the spring and the ends of the leverthereby reducing friction. This point of contact is shown at 28, Figure2.

A rod 29 having the stops 31 and 32, serves to position a float 33within the tank 6, the lower end of this rod extending into the pipe 7while the upper end has secured thereto an ofiset rod 34, having anoffset portion 34 terminating in a hooked extremity 36. The offsetportion 34 is arranged in the path of the upper side of the adjacent endof the lever 18 (see Figure 3.) A shoulder is formed at 37 which isadapted to contact the under portion of the lever 18 as will behereinafter described.

\Vhen in action the operation of my device is as follows Gasoline orother motor fuel is caused to enter the tank 5 through the pipe 11, thesame being drawn into the tank through vacuum pipe 12 exhausting the airwithin the tank. It is of course assumed that the float 33 is at itslowest position, as the fluid within tank 5 rises the float 33 will riseand contact stop 31. As soon as a slight upward pressure is brought tobear upon this stop, the offset lever rising will cause the shoulder 37to contact the under side of the lever 18 moving the same upwardly. Assoon as this end of the lever has moved above the pivotal point of itsconnection to the bearing 17, the spring 23 will cause the same to snapupwardly with a quick motion and at the same time the lever 19 will alsomove upwardly. This toggle action is well known and needs no furtherdevalve 21 will seat itself cutting off the vacuum to the tank 5 andopening the air valve 22. This will allow air to pass from the pipe 13into tank 5 thus relieving the vacuum and al lowing the gasoline withinthe tank 5 todischarge through the pipe 7, past the valve 8. The float33 will now descend and engage the stop 32. This will cause a downwardpull through the offset lever 34 which movement will be transferred tothe lever 18 through the offset portion 34 of the hooked extremity 36.As soon as this lever again passes its pivotal point, the spring 23 willcause the lever 19 to move to position of Figure 1, again opening thevacuum valve and closing the air valve with the result that the tank 5will again start to fill.

It will thus be seen that I have eliminated through the use of theoffset lever 34, many of the complicated parts now commonly employed invacuum tanks, which complicated parts are well known.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subj oined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim In a vacuum tank of thecharacter described, a pair of tanks, one within the other, a floatpositioned within one of said tanks, a rod extending through said floatand freely movable in respect thereto, stops positioned on said rod andadapted to be contacted by said float, an offset lever secured to saidrod, said o'fliset lever having an offset portion terminating in ahooked extremity, a shoulder formed on said ofiset lever and positionedwithin said hooked extremity, means for causing a flow of liquid intosaid tank having said float therein, said means including a vacuum valveand an air valve, levers for operating said valves, a spring positionedbetween the ends of said levers, reinforcing members on the ends of saidspring and being engageable with the outer ends of said levers, one ofsaid levers being engaged by the offset portion of the hooked extremityof said offset lever and the shoulder respectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH N. JOHNSON.

